Mottled Duck X Mallard Brochure pg 2

The Mallard
& the
Florida Mottled Duck
(Continued)

mixed flock of Florida ducks and feral mallards

The Future of the
Florida Mottled Duck
is Uncertain

Introduced mallards are interbreeding with our native Florida (mottled) ducks resulting in hybrids of the two species. The potential consequence is the loss of the mottled duck as a distinct species in Florida. In other words, the Florida duck could go extinct.

Historically, mallards occurred in Florida only as winter migrants. However, there are now mallards in Florida year-round. These new residents were put here, mostly by private citizens who purchased domesticated mallards and released them on local ponds, lakes, and canals to enjoy watching them.

Unfortunately, these birds have become feral (free-ranging domestic animals) and are reproducing in the wild with our Florida ducks. The result is that fewer and fewer pure-bred Florida ducks are left.

HYBRID mallard X mottled duck in center

History proves that the concern over the loss of our Florida duck to hybridization (mixing with other breeds) with introduced mallards is a real one and should be taken very seriously. In other areas of the world where mallards have been introduced, they have caused damage to the native mallard-type ducks, like the mottled duck. In New Zealand, introduced mallards are mating with the native grey duck. During the past eighty years, mallards have been released to supplement wild duck populations, and the proportion of grey ducks remaining is only about five percent. On the islands of Hawaii and Oahu, there are probably no longer any Hawaiian ducks, they are all mallards or mallard x Hawaiian duck hybrids. In Madagascar, it appears that the Meller’s duck faces a similar fate — extinction.

Will the Florida Duck follow suit?
It is up to you!

What You Can Do To Help

Because feral mallards exist in so many areas of the state, it will take the efforts of you and the other people of Florida to solve this problem. What can you do? Do not release mallards, and do not support existing feral mallards by feeding or sheltering them. Moreover, it is up to you to tell your friends and neighbors about the threat of releasing and supporting feral mallards to our Florida duck.

It is illegal by state law to release mallards

feral mallard flock

In Florida, wild mallards are protected by federal law and cannot be touched unless you posses the correct federal and state permits. If there are ponds and canals near you that have mallards on them during the summer, these are feral mallards. These birds can be removed by Department of Agriculture- Wildlife Services officials who have the proper permits. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is working with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to facilitate the removal of feral mallards in Florida. If you would like additional information about the feral mallard hybridization problem, please call 321-726-2862.

For a printed version of this pamphlet or more information:

Mottled Duck Pamphlet
FL Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
3200 T.M. Goodwin Rd.
Fellsmere, FL 32948

or call
321-726-2862

Go to the mottled duck portion or return to the home page of the waterfowl web site for more information on Florida's waterfowl.

A printable version (16" x 9") of the Mottled duck brochure is available: Page 1 Page 2